Comments

The big clue is the name Jas Hinks & Son Ltd on the handle. A quick search shows that Hinks were a big Birmingham maker of oil lamps. A further search will bring up an auction listing for a similar item which identifies it as an oil lamp wick trimmer. Presumably you put the 'guillotine' opening over the end of the wick and the opposing angles of the outer blade will shear it off neatly without sliding away as scissors would.

Not sure if this explanation is correct. I know this item as a champagne cork bottle opener. The cutting edges used to cut wire, the toothed end to prise the cork upwards, the round open end would have had closely compacted bristles(as in a brush) which would have been use to clear dust from the cork and neck of the bottle.

Just to confirm what Bob has suggested about Tony's tool - if you look in the 1928 Marples catalogue available here on this site at www.taths.org.uk/component/weblinks/?task=weblink.go&catid=50&id=121 on page 177 (p 194 of the pdf) there is an illustration of a pair of champagne nippers, complete with the missing brush.So not for the same purpose unless you want a whiff of lamp oil with your Bollinger!